Paper roll dispenser



May 1, 1962 P. A. WOOSTER PAPER ROLL DISPENSER Filed July 29, 1959 w m mw.

PHILIP A. WOOSTER BY ATTORNEYS ,283 I APER O D E ER Philip A. Wooster,102 I St., San Rafael, Calif. Filed July 29, I959, Ser- No. 830,247 3Claims. (Cl. 24255.2)

This invention relates generally to devices for dispensing rolls ofpaper, such as towelling rolls, wrapping paper rolls orthe like. p

In winding paper rolls of theabove types, different mills wind the paperweb on mandrels of different diameters, whereby the axial holes providedby the mandrels vary accordingly in size. Generally the rolls have acenter core of cardboard or like material, but this may be omitted insome instances. Conventional dispensers for such paper rolls consist ofmeans for engaging and supporting the ends of the roll for rotationabout its axis. With rolls having different size axial openings, it isdifiicult with such dispensers to maintain alignment between the axis ofthe roll, and the axis of the roll supporting means.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a roll dispenser inwhich the centering means is effective for rolls having axial openingsof different diameters.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a paper rolldispenser which centers the roll on the desired axis of rotation withoutengaging the inner surfaces of the core.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paper roll dispenserwhich establishes a driving relationship between the supporting meansand the roll, as well as to efiect automatic centering.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paper roll dispenser inwhich all of the paper can be removed from the roll without interferingwith the desired centering action.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from thefollowing description in which the preferred embodiment has been setforth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view illustrating a simple type of paper rolldispensing device, with a paper roll applied to the same.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the paper roll, showing one arrangement ofslots.

FIGURE 3 illustrates one of the devices for engaging and supporting theroll, looking towards that side of the device which faces the roll.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the same device as in FIGURE 3,

as viewed from the right hand side of this figure, a portion of anengaged paper roll being illustrated in dotted lines.

FIGURE 5 is a view like FIGURE 2 but showing another arrangement ofslots.

FIGURE 6 is a view like FIGURE 3, but showing another embodiment adaptedto cooperate with slots as shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a view like FIGURE 4, showing the embodiment of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a paper roll 10, which may be of the type commonlymarketed for use as paper towelling. This roll is formed by a web 11wrapped about the cardboard or fibreboard core 12. In some instances thecore may be omitted. The simple type of dispensing device illustrated inFIGURE 1 consists of devices 14 and 15 which engage and support the endsof the roll and which in turn are rotatably carried by the panel 13.

At least one of the devices 14 and 15 (e.g. 15) is constructed asillustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. Thus in this instance the deviceconsists of a fiat metal body 16 which is rotatably carried by a pin 17,on the supporting ates Patent 2 arm 13a. At least three 'finlike spurs18 are carried by the body 1'6'and extend generally in planes parallelto the axis of rotation. In the particular construction illustrated,three fins 18 are provided, and the plane of each fin is coincident withthe axis of the pin 17, as shown in FIGURE 3. Also the general angularspacing of the fins is'equ'al, although this is not essential.

The corresponding end of the paper roll 10 is shown in FIGURE 2andjisprovided with a plurality of angularly spaced slots 19. Theseslots have the same angular spacing as the fins 18, but they have adepth and radial extent considerably greater than the width and radialan inherent centering action which makes it necessary for the axis ofthe roll to coincide with the axis of rotation of the device 15 beforethe fins 18 may be accommodated within the slots.

The inherent centering action described above is a distinct feature ofthe present invention. By virtue of this automatic centering action,which is independent of engagement wtih the inner surfaces of the core12, rolls having axial holes of different diameters can be appliedwithout changing the device 15. Furthermore because the fins 18 do notbear upon the outer ends of the slots 19 for centering, the arrangementis independent of the removal of paper, and all of the paper can beremoved without affecting the centering action.

As indicated above, either one or both of the devices 14 and 15 may beconstructed to cooperate with the roll in the manner illustrated inFIGURES 2-4. However, if desired, one of these devices may be of simpleconstruction following conventional design, with portions adapted toproject into the corresponding end of the core 12.

It will be apparent that the device 15 described above not only hasself-centering action but also establishes driving relation with theroll. Therefore such device 15 can be connected with a mechanism such asis commonly used in paper roll dispensers for limiting or controllingthe length of webbing being withdrawn. Also it may be employed inconjunction with ratchet or like means, to prevent back rotation of theroll. In FIGURE 4 I have shown a spring washer 20 interjoined betweenthe body 16 and arm 13a. This washer may have struck-out spring tonguesthat are normally compressed to thereby provide some friction or dragtending to resist rotation.

FIGURES 5-7 illustrate another embodiment of the invention in which fourfins or spurs are employed instead of three. Thus in this instance oneend of the roll is provided with slots 21 that are offset from the axisof the roll. The device 15a can consist of a body 22 provided with threeprojecting finlike spurs 23. These fins have a positioning and angularspacing corresponding to that of the slots 21. The pivot pin 24 is shownfor rotatably supporting the device 15 upon the arm 13a.

FIGURE 7 illustrates how the device of FIGURE 6 engages within the slots21. Here again it will be noted, that the fins do not bear upon eitherthe bottoms or the ends of the slots.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for dispensing web material in the form of a roll havingan axial opening, a device for engaging and supporting one end of theroll, means for supsioning of the spurs in the direction of'said axisbeing a minor fraction of the radial distance from the outer ends of thespurs to said axis, a roll of web material having at least three slotsof like angular spacing in said one end of the roll, said fin like spursbeing accommodated within said slots and engaging the side surfaces ofthe slots to align the roll with the axis of said device, said devicecomprising a substantially flat body to which said spurs are secured,the edges of the spurs facing said roll lying in a plane substantiallyat right angles to said axis of rotation.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which the inner ends of said spurs arespaced outwardly from the axis of rotation.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said device includes fourangularly spaced fin like spurs forming two pairs of spurs, the spurs ofeach pair being parallel and offset on diametrically opposite sides ofthe axis of rotation of said device, and wherein said roll of webmaterial has four angularly spaced slots on one end of said roll foraccommodating the four spurs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,146,038 West Feb. 7, 1939 2,380,644 Grondona July 31, 1945 2,726,823Jespersen Dec. 13, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 45,644 Switzerland Sept. 29, 1908

